Raymond C. Etcitty

Raymond C. Etcitty is Chief Operating Officer and was General Counsel for the Navajo Nation Gaming Enterprise. The Enterprise is a Navajo Nation business entity designated to conduct gaming operations. The Enterprise has 4 casinos in operations (Fire Rock Navajo Casino, Flowing Water Navajo Casino, and Northern Edge Navajo Casino, Twin Arrows Navajo Casino Resort). Mr. Etcitty is experienced in casino start-ups, operations and development which includes obtaining business site leases, permits, and right-of-way; participated in placing the Twin Arrows lands into trust; participated in the gaming compact negotiations. He also has extensive experience in Navajo government legislative procedures, including all federal and state government offices, and dealing with tribal relationships.

Prior to his current position, he was Chief Legislative Counsel for the Navajo Nation Council. In this position, he was the chief attorney who provided legal advice to the Navajo Nation Council and legislative branch for 5 years. He was a member of Navajo-Hopi Negotiating Team which negotiated the Navajo-Hopi Intergovernmental Compact that eliminated “Bennett Freeze.” His office oversaw the publication of the 2005 Navajo Nation Code, the codified laws of the Navajo Nation.

In the area of economic development, he was an attorney for the Nation’s Division of Economic Development; attorney for the Division of Community Development; and attorney in the Navajo Nation Department of Justice. In these positions, he was involved in drafting and negotiating business site leases, contracts, regulations, policies, etc.

Mr. Etcitty has taught Federal Indian Law at the University of Phoenix and taught Indian Taxation at the University of New Mexico School of Law. He served on the U.S. Internal Revenue Service Advisory Committee on Tax-Exempt and Government Entities. He continues to teach Navajo Property Law, Navajo Government, Jurisdiction and Navajo Sovereign Immunity to applicants for the Navajo Bar Review Course of the Navajo Nation Bar Association.

Mr. Etcitty is Navajo, from the Big Water Clan born for the Red Running into Water Clan. He received his B.A. in Political Science from the University of New Mexico and J.D. from the University of New Mexico School of Law. He has two daughters Hannah, and Grace.